Disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,433,060 is a flexible package assembly including a carrier strip to which there is attached a plurality of bags (typically containing a snack food). A purchaser of a bag removes the bag from the carrier strip.
In the above-mentioned US patent a machine is disclosed that produces packages (bags) that are removably attached to a carrier strip. In particular, the machine includes cooperating sealing jaws that not only close the bag but also attach the bag to the carrier strip. A purchaser of a bag removes the bag from the carrier strip. The sealing jaws include a slot through which the carrier strip passes so that when the sealing jaws engage the package to sealingly close the package, the sealed area of the bag is attached to the carrier strip. This sealed area provides a pealable attachment so that when a bag is to be removed the sealed area peels, allowing removal of the bag. Each bag is individually attached to the strip.
The above-described method and apparatus suffers from the disadvantage that only a single type of packaging assembly can be produced.